Train loading apparatus



v .Filed Jan. 15, 1958 INVENTOR EDWAR D R. BORCHER DT BY WM) N lm,

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ATTORNEYS FIG. 3

March l0, 1959 E. RBRCHERDT 2,875,915

TRAIN LOADING APPARATUS` Filed Jan'. 15, 1958 5 sheets-sheet 2 liHH , WUI" INVENTOR.

` EDWARD R. aoRcHERDT BY ATTORNEYS E. R. BORCHERDT TRAIN LOADING APPARATUS Filed Jan. l5. 19.58

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 A Il INVENTOR. EDWARD R. BORCHERDT BY A AzTToRNEYs March 1o, 1959 E, R, BORCHERDT 2,876,915

TRAIN LOADING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. l5, 1958 INVENTOR. EDWARD R. BORCHERDT g BYQ y 75 'f ATTORNEYS United States Patent TRAIN LOADING APPARATUS Edward R. Borchardt, Butte, Mont., assignor to 'I he Anaconda Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Montana This invention relates to apparatus for loading broken rock or other material from the heading of a tunnel or drift, or other similar confined space, into a ltrain of cars. More particularly, it relates to apparatus wherein a scraper is arranged to be pulled back and forth on rails extending the length of the train atop the cars, and across bridge structures between the cars, to distribute the material progressively into each car from a'material-receiving cradle in a tail car at the end of the train.

In mining and tunneling operations a drift or tunnel is advanced by repeatedly blasting rock from the face of the heading, loading the broken materialv (or muck, as it is known) into cars, and hauling the loaded cars away to a dumping area. The cars are brought into positionl by backing them in a train into the drift. Only one car at a time can be brought into loading position adjacent the heading, and since each car usually holds far less than the total amount of material in the muck pile, much time is consumed in switching one car after another into loading position.

Some remarkably efficient mucking machines have been developed in recent years to handle the excavated material, such as the rocker type which picks up a load of material and discharges it above and rearwardly. When such high capacity mucking machines are 'employed, the time required to switch cars into position to be loaded is a large fraction of the total time required to complete mucking out a blasting round.

Perhaps the most successful apparatus suggested heretofore to diminish the time consumed in car switching is that wherein a scraper is dragged along on rails mounted atop a train of cars to distribute muck loaded into the tail car through all the cars of the train. In such apparatus as heretofore proposed, however, the loading arrangement of the tail car and of the scraper have been inadequate to enable the scraper to keep ahead of fast acting mucking machines. It is a major object of the present invention to provide a scraper-equipped train of cars having a tail car into which muck can be rapidly and easily loaded, and from which the scraper can equally easily distribute the muck through all the cars of the train. n

The invention accordingly provides certain improvements in apparatus for loading excavated material into a train of cars wherein a scraperattached to pull and tail ropes is adapted to be pulled back and forth on rails extending the length of the train atop the cars to distribute the material progressively into each car.

In accordance with the invention, the tail car at' the rearward end of the train is provided at its rearward end with a laterally extending substantially cylindrical material-receiving cradle. The rearward ends of the rails on which the scraper rides are faired downwardly into this cradle. A tail sheave is mounted above and to the rear of the cradle at the rearward end of the tail car and supports the tail rope at a suliicient height above the cradle topermit the scraper to be lifted over and lto the-.rear of material placed in the cradle.' Ruggedstop lCC means are positioned to engage the scraper and prevent it from coming into contact with the sheave when the scraper is moved rearwardly.

In order to permit the scraper and the material dis tributed thereby to cross the spaces between the cars of the train, separate bridge sections are mounted between `the cars. Each of these bridge sections preferably `includes a iioor section substantially as wide as said cars, retaining walls extending upwardly from each side of the fioor section, wear-resistant runners extending longitudinally the length of the oor member substantially in a1ignment with the rails, and pivot means attaching the bridge section to one only of the adjoining cars.

The foregoing and other features of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of a preferredvembodiment of the invention, wherein Fig. l is an elevation of a train incorporating the improvements contemplated by this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged'elevation partly broken away of the tail car of the train illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an elevation partly broken away of the middle car of Fig. 1 and of the bridge section between it and an adjoining car;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the material-receiving cradle at the rearward end of the tail car of the train;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the tail car and of the bridge section between it and the adjoining car;

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

' Fig. 7 is a cross section taken substantially along the line 77 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a perspective, looking toward the rear of the train, of the scraper on the rails which support it atop the cars;

Fig. 9 is a section on an enlarged scale taken substantiv ally along the line 9--9 of Fig. 5; and

' Fig. lO is a View taken substantially along the line.

1li-10 of Fig. 9.

Referring to Fig. l, the train of cars there shown includes a tail car 11, a middle car 12, and a forward car 13, each of the conventional bottom-dump variety, supported on wheel trucks which run on a conventional track 14. The train locomotive (not shown) preferably is coupled to the forward car 13 (at the right as viewed in Fig. l). Hence references hereinbelow to forward 'I j' refers to that direction toward the locomotive, or to the right of Fig. 1, and, conversely, rearward refers to that direction toward the tail car 11, or to the left of Fig. 1.

Since the train is ordinarily backed into the tunnel or mine drift (or other loading station), the tail car 11 enters rst and approaches more closely to the face -of the drift than the other cars. After the train has been brought into loading position, any conventional means may be used to load muck into the rearward end of the tail car. Rocker or dipper stick shovels, conveyor belts, bulldozers working on loading ramps or platforms, or any other rock handling apparatus may be used. rThe apparatus described hereinbelow then is employed to distribute the material from the tail car to the forward cars. This apparatus basically comprises a load-receiving cradle of improved design at the rearward end of the tail car, and a scraper k15 which can be pulled forwardly or rearwardly by a scraper hoist 16 (located at the forward end of the forwardmost car) to distribute the material from this cradle through the tail car and the other cars of the train.

`As illustrated most clearly in Figs. 2, 4, and 5, a ma terial-receiving cradle 17.is provided at the rearward end` of the tail car 11. The cradle comprises a plurality of wear-resistant bars 1S which extend laterally acrosslthet, ltail carand are disposed each with its rearward edge underlying the forward edge of the adjacent bar to the rear. To vthis end the bars v18 are substantially of trapezoidal cross section, as best shown fin Fig. 4. They are mounted -on rigid arcuate supports 19 which extend to the rearmost end of the tail car'. krThe bars 18 thereby form a low-lying substantially cylindrical `material-receiving cradle into which a mocking machine or other loading apparatus can easily discharge broken rock or other materialat a rapid pace. The low height of the rear edge of -the cradle is especially advantageous for loading in tunnels and drifts by means of eicient rocker-type mucking machines.

Rails 20 and 21 are mounted substantially atop the tail car 11 throughout a great part of its length (as seen in Figs. 4and` '5), and slope downwardly into the cradle 17 where they are faired substantially tangentially into its substantially cylindrical contour. Corresponding aligned rails 20 and 21'v 'are mounted in the middle car 12'and the forward car 13, but on these cars they are located throughout their length in a horizontal plane substantially atop the cars. Fig. 6 illustrates an arrangement for mounting the rails 20' and 21' in the middle car and a similar arrangement is employed for mounting the rails in all the, cars. This arrangement comprises cross members 22 which extend inwardly from the side walls 23 of the car and are supported at their inner ends by a structure indicated generally at 24, which is erected from the oor of the car. Longitudinally dispo-sed heavy channel members ,26 are secured to the ends of the cross members22 and have the rails 20' and 21' respectively bolted on their upper anges.

The scraper is adapted to slide along the rails`20, 21, 21` as it is pulled either forwardly or rearwardly by exterting a pulling force on either a pull rope 25 or a tail rope 2.5v extending' from the drums of! the doubledrum scraper hoist 16. As seen in Figs. 4 and 8, the scraper includes a blade 26 rigidly but removably secured to the bottom edge of a body portion 27." This permitsl the blade to be replaced when it Wears out. A sheave 2S is rotatably mounted atop the upper edge ofthe body portion 27 and is arranged to ride over the tail rope 25'. Gonverging bail arms 29 and 29 extending forwardly from the body portion 27 form a scraper bail. A wear# resistant shoe 30 is mounted upon the underside of the bail atl its forward end. This shoe spans the rails 20 and 2 -1- and slidably rides thereon as the scraper is pulledv back and` forth.

such position as to sety this angle ofj attacl:Y at its desired value. The pull rope 2S is attached 'to the forward'ends ofthe bail arms 29 and 29 atl 3l, and the tail rope is attachedto the body portion 27 at 32 as seen in Fig.4. The width of 'the scraper is substantiallyY equalsv to the interior width of the cars.

` A tail sheave 33 ispositionedA atthe outer end of a boom structure 34 mounted at the rearward end of the tail car.

321m the scraper body. By pulling on the tailrope 25 and simultaneously payingl outon the pull ,rope 25, the operator can move the scraper rearwardly. The sheave 28v on' the scraper carries -the scraper on the tail rope over material'in the cradle 17 and to substantially the height ofA the tail vsheave 33. Conversely, by pulling in onthe `pull rope 25 and paying out on the tail rope 25', thescraper can be moved forwardly along the rails 20, 21, 20'., 21.

flhe'booin structure 34 upon which the lsheave33 is mounted is shown generally in Figs.2, 41and,5, anden.

anenlargednscale in Figs. ,9 and l0. It comprises two y Its position on the rails maintains a, substantiallyconstant angle of'attack of the scraper blade with respect to material being carried" thereby; and the. bailarms 29 and 29' are joinedjto the scraper body inVV The tail rope 25"'extends from the hoist 16 around this tail sheave before returning to its attachment' operating position, or may be lowered for movement through tunnels 'or drifts having low headroom simply by pivoting the arms 36 angl 37 about the pins to a substantially horizontal position. A pair of rests 39 are included to support the boom structure when it is in its lowered horizontal position. Stops 40 also extend from the sides of the tail car and establish the proper operating position of the boom structure in its raised position by limiting the degree to which it may be pivoted in a clockwise direction. Hooks 41 attached by cables to the ends of the boom arms 36and 37 are adapted to engage pins 42 protruding from the frame of the tail car to hold the boom structure against the stops 40 when it is to be used in operating position.

At the outer end of the boom structure 34, in addition to the mounting for the tail sheave 33, stop means are provided to prevent the scraper 15 from being drawn forcibly into contact with tbe tail sheave, with consequent'damage to the latter, when the scraper is moved rearwardly.' To this end'a cross strut 45 joins the ends of the boom arms'36 and 37 beneath the sheave 33, which is mounted on bearings between gussets 46 and 47 at the ends of sheave supporting struts 48 and 49. Rigidity is added to the structure by a rectangular truss 50 which also supports the gussets 46 and 47 and which is mounted upon rearwardly extending struts 51. Each of the struts 45, 48 and 49 is strengthened and protected by encasing channels 52, 53 and 54 respectively, because it is against these members that the rearwardly drawn scraper may collide. It is to be noted that this construction is such that the sheave 33 is substantially recessed within its supportingv parts and4 is thereby protected from damage by the scraper. However, the particular design and coustruction ofthe protective stop means (formed in the embodiment shown by the struts 45, 4Sl and 49) may be modified in many ways without departing from the in v'en'tion` Since the scraper must convey material from the material-receiving cradle 17 up the sloping portion of the railslt) and 2'1 anddistribute it forwardly, means should be provided to prevent the material carried by the scraper from slipping by thesides of the scraper as its is carried along.V Sideboards 601 are therefore mounted along the upper longitudinal edges'of. each car. These sideboards areA spaced substantially the same distance apart as the side walls of the cars, a distance very nearly equal to the width of the scraper, and sothey conne material be-y ing moved by the scraper to the interiors of the cars and: prevents such material from slipping around the edges ofQthe scraper.

Itis clear that' inorder to move the scraper 1S along` the, rails from car. to carmeans must be provided to p'ermitfthe.scraperand any material carried thereby to' crosstherspaces between the cars. Hence, as seen in Figs. l, 3, 5 ,andY 7, bridge structuresl 65 aremounted betweenl cars.'r Each bridge structure comprises a oor section 66 substantially as wide as the cars,- and retaining walls l67 extending upwardly from each side of the door section. Each bridge structure is pivotally movable in a horizontalvplane about a pin68 attached to the forward car, and it L slidably rests upon'pa' footpiece 69 supported on columns extendingupwardly from therrearward car. By thisconstruction the. bridge sections can accommodate the substantial angular displacementot theaxes ofthe adjoining cars which occurs Vwhenthe train rounds curves;

in ,thektraclc Further to accommodate this displacement,

the rearwardendsfofthe .sideboards 60 forward of theVv bridge; are .ared outsligbtly as indicated at 68.

material moved. thereby/to slideeasily onto the bridge.-

Fortrhe same reason,..the forward ends of each bridge,-

structure.extendbetween-theqred rearward ends68' .Wear-resistant runners70 extend longitudinally of the floor members 66 on each bridgefstructure between the ends of the rails on the adjoining cars to carry the scraper. These runners preferably extend beyond the ends of the bridge oor and curve downwardly over the end' walls of the adjoining cars.

In the operation of the above-described apparatus the empty train is moved along the tracks until the tail car 11 is in position to have muck loaded into its cradle. If not already raised to operative position, the boom structure 34 then is pivoted clockwise (as seen in Fig. 2) until its lower end abuts the stop 40, and the hooks 41 arev en gaged on the pins 42. The blasted rock or other material then is loaded into the material-receiving cradle 17 by one or more mucking machines.

At this point the operator of the hoist 16 pulls in on the tail rope 2S' while slacking oft on the pull rope 25 and thereby causes the scraper to move to the rear of the train along the rails. Until the scraper has moved partly down the sloping portion of the rails 20 and 21, the lower edge of the blade 26 and the shoe 30 both ride on the rails. Then, however, the scraper blade is lifted upwardly oi the rails in the direction of the tail sheave 33 by the sheave 28 riding on the tail rope, and only the shoe 30 remains in contact with the rail. The point at which the scraper tends to lift from the rails may be controlled by the amount of tension on the pull rope 25. The sheave 28 moves upwardly along the tail rope until the scraper approaches or is brought into contact with the stop means at the outer end of the boom. The scraper blade then is in a position above and behind the pile of material in the material-receiving cradle 17.

The operator then slacks olf on the tail rope and at the same time releases any tension on the pull rope 25 so that the scraper 15 descends to the approximate position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. As the scraper is lowered in this manner it more or less pivots about the shoe 30 at the end of the arms 29 and 29. The substantially cylindrical curvature of the cradle 17 preferably is such that as this pivoting occurs the blade 26 enters more or less tangentially into the cradle 17 at the cradles rearmost edge. The operator then actuates the hoist to exert a pull on the pull rope 25, and as he does so the blade 26 cuts downwardly and forwardly into the material in the cradle in a path substantially conforming to the cylindrical surface formed by the bars 18. Thus substantially the entire load in the cradle is caught in the scraper and carried forward by it.

Carrying the material before it, the scraper travels out of the cradle up the slope of the rails, and the material falls between the rails into the body of the tail car 11. The mucking machine then lls the cradle again and the scraper displaces another load forwardly in the same manner. This continues until all the space under the rails in the tail car has been progressively filled with excavated material. Then, when the next load is carried by the scraper along the rails and over the material lling the tail car, it is moved across the bridge section between the tail car and the middle car. Once across the bridge the material conveyed by the scraper drops between the rails into the body of the middle car. The sequence of operation is repeated until that car also is iilled.

In thisl manner each of the cars in the train is lled up to the level of the rails. Then an additional amount of material may be loaded on the train, as follows: After the forward car has been lled to the rails, additional material is scraped from the cradle to the forwardmost part of the forward car to ll the space above the rails up to the top of the sideboards 60. Then additional loads are scraped forward against the pile of material previously loaded until all cars are filled to the top edge of the sideboards 60. In addition the bridge structures 65 may be loaded to the top of the retaining walls 67 during this part of the train loading operation. (If such is done loaded'material from the bridge structure when 'the train is emptied.) l

Because of the time required to drag the scraper back and forth between the forward sections of the train and the tail car, it is desirable that the capacity ofthe scraper be great enough to completely clean out the material-receiving cradle each time it moves forwardly. Otherwise the mucking machine may be forced to remain idle at times while the cradle is being emptied. By virtue of the novel design of features of the material-receiving cradle and the scraper of this invention, the volumetric capacity of the train loading apparatus is readily made sufficient to meet this requirement. Moreover, the new train and train loading apparatus can readily be designed with sucient cars to permit mucking and hauling away the entire amount of material blasted in a single round from even the largest tunnel face without having to perform any car switching operations after the train has been brought into loading position.

I claim:

l; In apparatus for loading excavated material into a train of cars wherein a scraper attached to pull and tail ropes is adapted to be pulled back and forth on rails extending the length of the train atop the cars to distribute the material progressively into each car and including a tail car at the rearward end of said train, a substantially cylindrical material-receiving cradle laterally positioned at the rearward end of said tail car, the rearward ends of said rails being faired downwardly into said cradle, a sheave mounted above said cradle and supporting said tail rope well above and to the rear of said cradle to permit said scraper to be lifted over and to the rear of material placed in said cradle, stop meanspositioned to engage said scraper and prevent it from being drawn into contact with the sheave when said scraper is moved rearwardly, and separate bridge sections pivotally movable in a horizontal plane mounted between the cars of the train to permit the scraper and the material distributed thereby to cross the spaces between the cars.

2. In apparatus for loadingexcavated material into a train of cars wherein a scraper attached to pull and tail ropes is adapted to be pulled back and forth on rails extending the length of the train atop the cars to distribute the material progressively into each car and including a tail car at the rearward end of said train, 'a substantially cylindrical material-receiving cradleV laterally positioned at the rearward end of said tail car, the rearward ends of said rails being faired downwardly` into said cradle, a rigid bail extending forwardly from said scraper and having said pull rope attached thereto, a shoe on the forward end of said bail spanning and riding on said rails, a sheave mounted above and to the rear of said cradle and supporting said tail rope at a height suflicient to permit said scraper to be lifted over and to the rear of material placed in said cradle, stop means positioned to engage said scraper and prevent it from'being drawn into contact with the sheave when said scraper is moved rearwardly, and separate bridge sections pivotally movable in a horizontal plane mounted between the cars of the train to permit the scraper and the material distributed thereby to cross the spaces between the cars.

`3. In apparatus for loadingv excavated material into a ktrain of cars wherein a scraper attached to pull and tail ropes is adapted to be pulled back and forth on rails extending the length of the train atop the cars to distribute the material progressively into each car and including a tail car at the rearward end 'of said train, a substantially cylindrical material-receiving cradle laterally positioned at the rearward end of said tail car, said cradle being formed of a plurality of wear-resistant bars extending laterally across said tail car and each disposed with its rearward edge underlying the forward edge of the adjacent bar to the rear, the rearward end of said rails being faired downwardly into said cradle, a rigid it may be necessary to use the scraper to discharge the 15 bail extending forwardly from said scraper and having assume said pull rope attached thereto, a shoe on the 'forward end of said bail spanning and riding on said rails, a sheave mounted above and to fthe rear of said cradle and supporting said tail rope at a :height sutiicient to permit said scraper to be lifted ovet and to the rear of material placed in said cradle, stop means positioned to engage said scraper and prevent it from being drawn yinto contact with the sheave when said scraper is moved rearwardly, and separate bridge sections pivotally movable in a horizontal plane mounted between the cars of the train to permit the scraper and the material distributed thereby to cross the spaces between the cars.

4. In apparatus `for loading excavated material into a train of cars wherein a scraper attached to pull and tail ropes is adapted to be pulled back and forth on rails extending the length of the train atop the cars to distribute the material progressively into each car and in` cluding a tail car at the rearward end of said train, a substantially cylindrical material-receiving cradle laterally positioned at the rearward end of said tail car, the rearward end of said rails being faired downwardly into said cradle, a sheave mounted above said cradle and supporting said ltail rope well above and to the rear of said cradle to permit said scraper to be lifted over and to the rear of material placed in said cradle, stop means positioned to engage said 'scraper and prevent it lfrom being drawn into contact with 'the sheave when said scraper is moved rearwardly, and separate bridge sections pivotally movable in a horizontal plane mounted between the cars of the train to permit the scraper and the material distributed thereby to cross the spaces between the cars, each of said bridge sections including a floor section ksubstantially as wide as said cars, retaining walls extending upwardly from each "side of the floor section, wear-resistant runners extending longitudinally the length of the licor-member, and pivot means attaching the bridge section to one only of the ladjoining cars.

5. In apparatus for loading excavated material into a train of cars wherein a scraper attached to pull and tail ropes is adapted to be pulled back and forth on rails extending the length of the train atop the cars to distribute the material progressively -into each car and including a tail car at the rearward end of said train, a substantially cylindrical material-receiving cradle laterally positioned at the rearward end 'of said tail car, the rearward end of said rails being iaired downwardly into said cradle, a sheave mounted above said cradle and supporting said tail yrope well above and to the rear of said cradle to permit said scraper to be lifted over and to the rear of material placed in said cradle, stop means positioned to engage-said scraper and prevent it from being drawn into contact with the sheave when said scraper is moved rearwardly, and separate bridge sections pivotally movable in a horizontal plane mounted between the cars of the train to permit the scraper and the material distributed thereby to cross the spaces between the cars, each of said bridge sections including a door section substantially as wide as said cars, retaining walls extending upwardly from each side of the floor section, wearresistant runners extending longitudinally the length of the floor member, pivot means attaching the bridge section to one only of the adjoining cars, and a footpiece on the adjoining car on which said bridge section slidably rests.

6. In apparatus for loading excavated material into a train of cars wherein a scraper attached to pull and tail ropes is adapted tofbe pulled back and forth on rails extending the vlength of the train atop the `cars and including a tail car at the rearward end of said train, a substantially cylindrical material-receiving cradle laterally positioned at the rearward end of said tail car, the rear'- ward ends of said rails being faired downwardly into said cradle, a rigid bail extending forwardly from said scraper and having said pull rope attached thereto, a shoe on the forward end of said bail spanning and riding on said rails and remaining in substantially continual contact therewith, a sheave mounted above and to the rear of said cradle and supporting said tail rope at a height sutlcient to permit said scraper to be lifted over and to the rear of material placed in said cradle while said shoe remains on the rails, the length of said bail being such that as the scraper is lowered from the sheave to the cradle it pivots substantially about the shoe and is guided thereby substantially along the curvature of the rearward end of said cradle, stop means positioned to engage said scraper and prevent it from being drawn into contact with the sheave when said scraper is moved rearwardly, and separate bridge sections pivotally movable in a horzontal plane mounted between the cars of the train to permit the scraper and the material distributed thereby to cross the spaces between the cars.

7. In apparatus for loading excavated material into a train of cars wherein a scraper attached to pull and tail ropes is adapted to be pulled back and forth on rails extending the length' of the train atop the cars to distribute the material progressively into each car'and including a tail car at the rearward end of said train, a substantially cylindrical material-receiving cradle laterally positioned at the rearward end of said tail car, said cradle being formed of a plurality of wear-resistant bars extending laterally across said tail car and each disposed with its rearward edge underlying the forward edge of the adjacent bar to the rear, the rearward end of said rails being faired downwardly into said cradle, a rigid bail extending forwardly from said scraper and having said pull rope attached thereto, a shoe on the forward end of said bail spanning and riding on said rails, a sheave mounted above and to the rear of said cradle and supporting said tail rope at a height suicient to permit said scraper to be lifted over and to the rear of material placed in said cradle while said shoe remains on the rails, the length of said bail being such that as the scraper is lowered from the sheave to the cradle it pivots about the shoe and is guided thereby substantially along the curvature of the rearward end of said cradle, stop means positioned to v engage said scraper and prevent it from being drawn into extending longitudinally the length of the floor member,

and pivot means attaching the bridge section to one only ofthe adjoining cars.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Miller Feb. 26, 1952 Walters Ian. 29, 1957 

